You're selected.

I decided I needed a mentor. I set my sights on a guy in my office whose name is Ed.  He is a director, fully of creativity, soft spoken but ridiculously knowledgeable about all sorts of things.  He is a veritable font of information.  One day we were talking about scabies, don’t ask!!!  He wandered by and happened on the conversation.  Didn’t pirates get scabies, I asked him?  Sure, but you might be thinking of scurvy.  Who knows that?  Who says that?  Yep.  He should go on Jeopardy.  And that’s just one silly example.  I forgot.  He is a dramaturg, they know everything.  We have had amazing conversations about welfare reform, poverty levels and their impact on communities, feminism, politics,  and mutual friends in the theatre community around the country.  He’s a real mensch.

So one day I approach him and say Hey, Ed, I’ve decided I need a mentor and you’ve been selected.  He smiled and said he would be honored.  I knew I picked well.  We’ve managed to have lunch together twice.  Today was our second outing.  Squeezing in amongst the many, many meetings we have at the theatre and the myriad of subcontractors all active (and needing me) at the new building as we hurtle towards finishing this project, we managed to sneak out for a sandwich.

After ordering, I offered up my money, but he said no.  I told him that wasn’t necessary, but he said, I thought that’s what mentors do.  Sigh.  I picked well, and I’m not talking about buying my lunch.

We had a great lunch and even better conversation.  He was so complimentary to me, I was really touched.  Sometimes, as they say it is hard to see the forest for the trees.  When you are given the opportunity to hear someone else’s simple assessment of you, and it is utterly supportive, well, it is just great.  GREAT.  It helps to fill up a void that is all too often filled by colleagues’ or supervisors’ negativity and inadvertent jabs.  Most important of anything, he validated so many of my feelings and reminded me of all that is good.  Sometimes you just need a nudge, or push or flat out ambush to move in the right direction.  It is there for you, just that pesky forest/tree problem again.

Later, when checking email, I found an email from a blog I like.  It is called zen habits.  The link is here. Check it out.  It is useful and uncannily timely to my life.  Anyway, the post was called The Obstacle is the Path.  In a nutshell, it says, when there is an obstacle in your path you can fight, resist, run or you can dive in, explore it, work with it and turn that obstacle into the path to moving forward.

I know, I know.  It sounds totally dorky and new agey.  It also sounds way easier said than done.  But take a minute, there’s something there.  What’s funny is that this kind of advice is all around us all the time.  But when we’re ready, when I’m ready, that’s when I can see it or hear it. Or be ready for it.

Sometimes it just feels like the universe is tapping me on the shoulder.  Yoohoo.  You can do this.  When I’m not listening, it taps a little harder.  Sometime it has to bonk me on the head.  This time, with the help of my new mentor, I’m listening.  At least I’m going to try.

Wish me luck.  I’ll keep you posted.